Even with modern technology like email and
cell phones, printed invitations have remained the most common way to let
people know about your upcoming party and will continue to remain popular
due to the timeless rules of party etiquette. Invitations can be a major
cost, especially for large parties, like weddings and some baby showers.
However, with a little creativity and time, you can make your own printable
invitations, even if you have no artistic skills.
1. The first step is designing your card. You can use a simple
word processor like Microsoft Word and if you want, you can go
to the Adobe's website at http://createpdf.adobe.com to convert
your file into a pdf file. Select the proper dimensions and print
out a sample on some plain white paper just to make sure it is
the right size.
2. Next, you will want to find the proper card stock to print
out your invitations on. Your local office supply store will have
these and you can purchase them inexpensively there.
3. Use the word processor to insert text boxes with the words
you want on your invitation. Play around with the fonts and text
color.
4. There are many sites that offer free clip art and pictures
that you can use for your invitations. Just do a search for "free
clip art" on the search engines and you will find many sites
that provide these services for free. Browse through and download
the pictures you want and then insert them into your card at the
desired location.
5. If you use a background image, make sure it does not obscure
the text on the card. Ideally, background images should be watermarked.
Most word processors will allow you to select background images
and make them watermarks. Another alternative is to click on all
the text boxes and give them solid colored backgrounds.
6. Need a catchy poem or verse? Once again, you can search the
internet for related verses. For example, if I am making baby shower
invitations, then I can search for "baby shower poem" or "baby
verse" and any other related phrases.
7. Save the master copy of the finished card and print out a sample
copy on plain paper to see what it will look like. If it looks
good, then you can start personalizing each card and printing it
out on card stock.
8. If you do not have a color printer, then create a personalized
copy for each guest and save it as a separate file on a disk. Take
the disk to your local print shop and have them print out a invitation
for each guest. Some print shops may even print out the invitations
for you if you give them the guest list and template. A print shop
will cost more than printing them out yourself, but probably less
than buying invitations from somewhere else. Plus the product should
look very professional and they may even have the right card stock
available. Additionally, print shops can do engraved invitations
as well, which are good for upscale occasions like weddings.
Some other guidelines include try to stick to a central theme,
don't try to use too many pictures and colors, and compare your
card to others at card stores to get a feel for what a good invitation
should look like. Remember that most invitations are simple and
have just a few graphics and maybe one verse. As you can see, there
are infinite possibilities when creating your own party invitations
and not only is it a fun project, but will also save you money.
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About the author:
About the Author - Criss White is a professional web writer on
baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For
baby shower supplies, information, and more baby related articles
by this author, visit My
Baby Shower Favors ( http://www.mybabyshowerfavors.com).
Note: If you find this article useful, you may reprint it on your
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